To Set The Wrong Things Right
by yesterdaysmaybe
Summary: When someone dies, a crow carries their spirit to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens, that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes-just sometimes-the crow can bring the soul back...
1. From The Grave

_**'Ello! So i'm playing with my cat, right? And out of nowhere this story idea just came to me! I kept telling myself that I should wait and finish one of my other stories before posting this, but I just couldn't help myself...I am weak. ): Anywhoo, I hope you enjoy this first chapter! Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or The Crow!**_

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_**From The Grave**_

_**Thunder crashed loudly to thunder as bolts of lightning lit up the sky. Heavy drops of water fell from the clouds above to the earth below, clinging to everything it could before it met the ground. The raindrops clung to the plants, to the people delayed on the streets, to the buildings the people lived in, to the parched and cracked dry lands of the desert, and to a large rusty sword resting firmly in the ground of a cliff. This once-fine weapon who's original purpose was to fight injustice and serve honor now dutifully served as a grave marker. To anyone else this rusty grave held no significance. But to the crow that circled overhead, this was another case entirely. Fluttering his wings steadily the crow landed himself firmly on to the hilt of the sword. He ignored the water pounding his feathers and the noises and lights created by the storm, concentrating only on the ground below him. Puffing out his chest he drew in a large breath and cawed loudly, summoning what he came here for.**_

_He growled angrily as the black mass refused to give way__**.**__ He kicked and punched the enemy, occasionally clawing at soft areas that had weakened due to his fight__**.**__ He didn't know where he was or how he'd gotten there__**.**__ Only that this place pressed down hard on him and he found it extremely difficult to breathe__**.**__ The only thing he was certain of was this: He didn't like being held down__**.**__ He clawed and kicked harder now in a sudden burst of fury and desperation__**.**__ He HAD to get out of there!_

_He dug his fingers in to the black mass and tore away at the stifling void__**.**__ Then, pulling back his arm as far as it was allowed to go, he thrust his fist as hard as he could at the enemy and gasped as his fist broke through his confinement to someplace new__**.**__ Somewhere cold__**…**__and wet__**.**__ ' Anything's better than here!' He quickly put his other hand to work and tore away at the new opening, the pressure becoming less as light began to fill his vision__**.**__ With one final attack at his oppressor he broke free from his prison and burst through to the other side__**.**__ He shuddered as his skin came in contact with the cold as heavy tears of ice hit his skin__**.**__ Then he jerked violently as multiple spasms riddled his body all at once and pain flared and burned through every vein he had__**.**_

_Gunfire reached his ears, keeping perfect rhythm with the spasms and pain in his body__**.**__ Eyes blurred by water and pain he couldn't see who was shooting him, but he knew it was many__**.**__ He tried to be brave-he really did__**.**__ But the pain was just too much__**.**__ As the last shot rang through the air he threw back his head and screamed agony__**.**__ His vocal chords rang strong as his scream had surfaced then died down along with the pain__**.**__ He knew-without knowing __**how**__ he knew-that it had been a long time since ha had last spoken let alone scream__**.**__ ' I should hardly be able to use my voice at all__**.**__ Weird__**.**__'_

_**He panted heavily and glared at the cold water falling around him. Blinking hard he focused his vision and took in his surroundings. Rocks and cracked, barren land invaded his sight. A loud rumble of thunder caused him to look up as lightning lit up everything around him. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself as the rain continued to assault his skin. " Okay, so maybe the dark **__**was**__** better." A loud " Caw" brought him out of his musings and he turned around to find a large, rusted sword planted firmly behind him. He followed the length of the sword upward with his eyes and let his confusion show on his face as he gazed up at the black bird that had called to him. " A crow?"**_

_**Something wasn't right. The young man couldn't understand how the bird could be so high up. **__' Either this sword is really tall or I'm really short__**.**__' __**He concluded. He looked around himself once again and gasped as he noticed the mud coloring his skin and clothes. His shaking at once became more severe as the coldness of the rain had been replaced by fear. He now realized he had broken free from the very ground he sat in now…the ground had been his confinement and his enemy. The only things that existed in the ground were plants, insects……and dead things.**_

_**Something was seriously wrong with this picture.**_

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**_So, you like? I already have the second chapter in my notebook and the third in progress! Now for those of you who are reading this story, I am posing a contest: In every chapter I will make a reference to one of the crows-which are the following: The Crow, The Crow: City Of Angels, The Crow: Salvation, The Crow: Wicked Prayer or the series The Crow: Stairway to heaven. ( Awsome by the way! Mark Dacascos is sooo cute! EEP!...Okay, fangirl moment over.) _**

**_My challenge is this: The first person who can tell me which " Crow" I used and where in the chapter I used it will be given a request, whether it be a chapter idea or something they would just like to see! Intersted? For those of you who are: I have used a " Crow" in this first chapter. Do you know which one and where? If so, tell me in your reviews and the answer will be given in the next chapter! Please R&R and happy hunting!_**


	2. I Want To Know

**_Hi! So, now to reveal the mystery: Which " Crow" made a cameo? Answer: The Crow. The scene I used for our hero was when Eric Draven first came back to life: During a heavy rain storm, screaming once he pulled himself from the ground! Congratulations to my first reviewer Cpt. SawMonkey, who guessed it right! See, it's only in the first crow that the " Crow Man" rises from the ground. _**

**_In the second crow: City Of Angels, he rises from the water, ( He was drownded!) and in the third: Salvation, he rose from the morgue after being wrongly executed. ( Electric chair-a shcoking expirience!) And in Wicked Prayer, he broke out of a freezer in a dump yard. ( He was hung, then had his heart ripped out...ouch.) And finally i_****_n Stairway to heaven he fell through a portal in thin air after jumping off a bridge in the land of the dead...wow. Writing that one out was weird...anyways this chapter is dedicated to last chapter's winner! Enjoy peoples!_**

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" _**I Want To Know"**_

_**They continued to stare at each other for some time: Man and crow. Again, without knowing how, he was sure that this crow was here to help him. **__' But…help me with what?'__** It was something important. At least, that's what he felt. Though sitting there in the ground wasn't going to solve his problems so steps had to be taken. ( Literally.) " Well, first thing's first. On my feet." This was really easier said than done. His limbs felt heavy and awkward to work with-like he wasn't connected right in some way.**_

_**Gritting his teeth he forced his body to obey his commands and slowly he was able to stand…even if it was on shaky legs. **__' It's a start__**.**__'__** He rested his hands on his knees, helping him to find some form of balance. Blinking through the water that continued to fall he focused his attention on the rusty sword in front of him. As his eyes wandered over the blade he gradually began to feel unexpectedly annoyed. The layer of rust was so thick one could hardly tell it used to shine silver. And he was sure even without his own sharp eyes one could tell the blade was dull. " Well that's a nice way to treat my sword." He grumbled.**_

' _Wait a minute! __**My**__ sword__**…**__? Is it really?'__** The more he stared at it the more he felt it true. After all, it had been marking HIS grave ( He tried very hard not to freak-out.) hadn't it? The crow gazed at him expectantly as he continued to visually and mentally inspect his sword. The bird ruffled his feathers impatiently and then jabbed the hilt three times with his beak. " Hey-stop that!" Hadn't his poor weapon suffered enough? Did it really deserve scratches on top of everything else?**_

_**The young man grunted softly as he pushed his hands off his knees and stood straight…ish. He took two shaky steps forward before he lost whatever balance he had. Without even thinking he reflexively shot his hand forward and grabbed the sword's handle as the crow flew down and landed on the ground beside him. As soon as his gloved, muddy hand had touched the handle, voices and images suddenly bombarded his senses. At first the pictures in his head were blurry, the voices distant and distorted. But as the crow let out another caw the vision became suddenly clear.**_

' _He was crouched low behind thick, leafy bushes__**.**__ It wasn't raining anymore-in fact the night was calm and the sky clear, perfect for stargazers as thousands littered the night__**.**__ Beside him was a man with straight black hair and wearing a black sleeveless top, sturdy black shoulder guards and long black pants__**.**__ Holding his attire together was a thick black belt with a strange insignia__**.**__ It looked familiar to him, but he just couldn't place where he'd seen it before__**.**__ On the man's face was a small smile-which seemed to soften his broad jaw__**.**__ On his back was the sword looking sharp, clean and powerful__**…**__as it should be__**.**__ As his eyelids sealed themselves over his silvery-blue irises the man lifted the sword off his back and solemnly pressed his forehead against the blade in what seemed to be a silent prayer__**.**_

' _Then the world tilted as his head fell ever so slightly to the side__**.**__ This action was governed by his body only, while he himself watched through his own eyes and felt what his body presented to him: The cool night air, the rocks digging in to his knees where he knelt beside his companion, the adrenaline rushing through his veins knowing that something important was going to happen tonight, and finally his curiosity towards the older man's actions__**.**__ " You know, I've never seen you actually use that__**.**__" The voice had been his, issued from his own lips__**.**__ But again it was his body-not he himself-who was in control__**.**__ Feeling his eyes narrow in uncertainty he listened closely as words formed from their own volition from his mouth__**. **__" Don't you think it's sort of a waste?"_

' _The man in front of him ended his prayer and returned the sword to the holding on his back which was basically a large, powerful magnet fit only for said sword__**.**__ Then he opened his eyes and gazed to the younger man__**.**__ " Use brings about wear__**…**__tear__**…**__and rust__**.**__ And that's a real waste__**.**__" He stared back at the other, understanding dawning through his mind when-' __**FLASH! He jumped as the sound of thunder brought him back to his senses as lightning lit up the sky again. The other man was gone and he was back at his grave, gripping the sword's handle tightly.**_

' _What just happened?!__**……**__A vision? Who was that guy? He feels so familiar__**…**__what's his name?' __**He searched his memories as hard as he could…only to find he knew nothing before his rising nor anything beyond that glimpse of what had been his life.**__ ' Why__**…**__WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?!' __**His grip on the sword hardened then he grabbed the handle with his other hand and squeezed his eyes shut as he bowed his head. **__' WHO IS HE?! WHO AM __**I**__?!'_

_**He hated this. He knew he was brought back for a reason-something important. But how was he supposed to know what to do now if he didn't know his own past?! With a cry of fury the young man ripped the sword from the ground and used it to slash at an enemy only seen in his mind. " WHO ARE YOU?!!" When no one answered ( Not that he really expected someone to) he lowered the blade and let the end hit the ground with a quiet " clang" as his grip on the handle loosened. Then, out of nowhere it came to him.**_

" _**Angeal."**_

_**And even as he spoke the name aloud, Angeal's voice sounded through is head as if from a distant dream. " Embrace your dreams. If you want to be a hero, you need to have dreams…and honor."**_

" _**As SOLDIER." He finished. He focused his eyes on the sword's blade as his mind slowly processed this new ( Or was it old? Hard to tell…) information.**__ ' I remember now__**.**__ Well, a little__**.**__ Angeal__**……**__he was my mentor, a SOLDIER 1st__ class__**.**__'__** On impulse the man glanced down at his clothing to find he was in fact wearing the exact same clothing as Angeal had. " Only muddier." He stated.**_

_**As he let his eyes scan the now-familiar clothing, he suddenly stopped on the leather belt and the insignia etched in to it. Slowly he reached out his hand and touched the engraving. He had hoped that by touching it he might gain another memory-like he did when he touched the sword. He didn't quite get that, ( Damn.) but he did get a small piece of information. " …Shinra. That's right. SOLDIERs belong to the Shinra company." The crow on the ground fluttered his wings and gave him an encouraging caw. But that name, Sinra, left a bitter taste in his mouth.**_

" _**Shinra……SOLDIER…I-" Once again his body began to tremble harshly, the rain having nothing to do with it this time as he fit the pieces he had together. He felt himself getting angrier with every shiver as it came back to him. He could see them all now. Hundreds of SOLDIER infantrymen gathered together on this cliff with all their guns pointed at HIM. This time he saw them take aim… " I was-" and fire. " NO!" He instantly dropped the sword and used his now-free hands to clutch his head.**_

' _Shinra! I was killed by Shinra?!'__** A cry of fury ripped through his throat as his knees buckled and sent him back to the ground which he ponded with his fists. " WHY?!" **__' Why me? I was killed by the people I worked for? Who I gave my loyalty to?'__** Then he became absolutely still as the word worked itself through his mind. One thing he did know: Loyalty is one of the most valuable qualities a SOLDIER can offer. The second being trust. If he didn't have either……bang.**_

" _**So I wasn't loyal? And I couldn't be trusted. Huh. Well that's strange." He huffed in annoyance and adjusted his position so that he was sitting somewhat comfortably on the ground. He drew his knees up then rested his arms on them as the crow flew off the ground and landed on his shoulder. So far the time he had spent here consisted of him asking questions, remembering some things, yelling, a little tantrum throwing and talking to himself and the bird. Okay-so it was odd, him talking to something that couldn't really talk back. **__' But since when has normal ever been exciting anyway? Besides, he's a good listener__**.**__'_

_**He took a deep breath, then let the air out of his lungs hoping to dispel some of his frustration. Sure he was beginning to remember **__**some**__** things, but he had yet to figure out the **__**main**__** thing: **__' Why did I come back?'__** He drew in the let out another breath as he worked his mind. **__' Okay__**.**__ Let's review what I do know: I was In SOLDIER and was 1__st__ class, just like my mentor Angeal, that sword over there was his, then I guess given to me, I was killed by Shinra because I apparently couldn't be trusted, and tonight I pop out of the ground like a freaki'n daisy__**.**__'__** Sure those clues to his past were kind of helpful, but they didn't fully explain who he was ( Or had been) or why he was here. " Hell, I can't even remember my own name!" As if he'd been waiting for him to ask, the crow cawed softly in his ear and another vision came to him.**_

' _He was lying on the ground with one hand locked on to the handle of his sword__**.**__ It was raining, but unlike before, for some reason it felt ten times colder__**…**__and it hurt__**.**__ Hell everything hurt__**.**__ He could __feel__ his blood leaking out of the numerous bullet holes in his body__**.**__ It mixed then dyed with the fallen water around him__**.**__ Somewhere through the rain he could hear small rocks crunching and scraping under some unknown weight__**.**__ As he lay there the sound got closer and closer until it was right next to him and his vision of the stormy sky was blocked by another person__**.**__ It was a boy__**.**__ He wasn't a child, but he wasn't quite a man__**.**__ Not yet__**.**_

' _His hair had formed itself in to spiky blonde locks, some of which hung and plastered themselves to his childishly round face due to the rain__**.**__ Large sapphire blue eyes gazed in to his with confusion and__**……**__something else__**.**__ It kind of reminded him of someone who had just woken up from a deep sleep, __and thought themselves still dreaming__**. **__His eyes briefly looked over the wounds before returning to him__**.**__ His lips twitched as he worked his throat__**.**__ It seemed even speaking was a great struggle for the lad__**.**__ " Z__**…**__Z-Zack__**.**__"_

' _He felt himself smile at the younger as he bravely tried to ignore the pain__abusing his body__**.**__ He was dying-he could feel it happening__**. **__Even though he was smiling Zack felt scared__**.**__ What would happen to him? Would anyone remember him when he was gone? Would she__**…**__? ( She who?) He stared back in to the young man's eyes, which were focused on him ( In a dazed sort of way) filled with confusion and worry__**.**__ It was then that he felt a small spark of hope__**.**__ Maybe through this boy-no-this man, he could live on__**.**__ As cliché as it sounded even in his own head, Zack now understood just how much meaning those words held__**.**_

" _For the__**…**__both of us__**…**__" He decided aloud__**.**__ The young one frowned as he struggled to understand__**.**__ Once again with some effort he was able to speak__**.**_

" _Both of us?" Zack's grin widened__**.**__ True his words were slow, but he was speaking better__**. **__That was good__**.**__ He always knew the kid was strong and would one day surprise people__**.**__ And right now, he was one of them__**.**_

" _That's right__**…**__" He encouraged__**.**__ " __**…**__you're gonna__**…**__" No! His voice was failing! ' It can't! Not yet!'_

" _You're gonna__**…**__" He slowly implored__**.**__ His eyes were still hazy so it was hard to tell if he was helping or just saying his words for the sake of saying them as something to hold on to: Away for him to make sense of things himself__**.**__ It seemed the weaker Zack got, the stronger other became__**.**__ He'd like to think that somehow he was giving him what strength he had left to him__**.**__ ' Yeah__**. **__Even if it's not true, I'll keep believing that__**.**__' Even though there were other vague more rational explanations in the back of his mind to the small riddle, this was the only one he liked__**.**_

_Mustering all the strength he had left Zack reached up and placed a hand on the back of the young man's head, then pulled him down in a small, slightly awkward embrace__with his head resting on Zack's bloody chest__**. **__" Live__**.**__" That one act had apparently cost him__**. **__He was weaker now-his voice no more than a raspy whisper__**. **__" You'll be__**…**__my living legacy__**.**__" He couldn't hold on anymore__**.**__ Zack let his arm fall lamely to the side and land with a faint splash as it rested in a small puddle created by the falling rain and his blood__**. **__Slowly the lad lifted his head from Zack's chest, the blood now staining him creating stark contrast against his pale skin__**.**_

' _The right side of his face was now painted dark crimson from his forehead, over his eye, to his cheek__**.**__ He shifted his eyes away from Zack's face to stare at the blood that clung to the bangs in front of his own eyes before returning to Zack's own__**.**__ His lips were slightly parted as if he wanted to say something__**……**__but he didn't__**. **__Maybe he didn't know __**what**__ to say__**.**__ ' It's okay__**. **__You don't have to__**.**__' Zack looked to the sword's blade that rested next to him and pulled it closer by the handle__**.**_

" _My honor, my dreams__**…**__" As he lifted the weapon, he extended his arm and presented it to the young one__**.**__ " __**…**__they're yours now__**.**__" Even as the younger hesitantly took the handle of the offered weapon Zack knew he was doing the right thing__**.**__ As he held the sword the other seemed hesitant to accept it__**…**__most likely still somewhat confused by what was happening__**.**__ So to reassure him Zack lightly pushed the sword out of his reach and fully in to the lad's hands__**.**__ He couldn't do any more than that-so he let his hand fall away__**.**__ Zack watched as the young man's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he slowly began to understand__**.**_

" _I'm your__**…**__living legacy__**…**__" It seemed like he was saying to himself as much as to Zack__**. **__But that was good enough for him__**.**__ Giving him one last smile, Zack closed his eyes as he felt himself drift away__**.**__'_

_**And with an unexpected jolt he came back to himself. It was exactly like his dream ( Or vision?) with a couple of differences: One-the boy wasn't there. Two: He wasn't dying. He looked around until he found the crow perched on his shoulder right where he left him, eyeing him curiously. " That's right. Zack. My name's Zack Fair." He said hollowly. It had been good to remember his name, ( Finally.) but to re-live his death? Not so much. And who was that boy with him? Like before the answer came unconsciously to him.**_

" _**Cloud." Yes, he remembered him now. He was an infantryman aspiring to be a 1**__**st**__**, like him. And he was only what? Sixteen then? Zack let himself smile again as small memories of Cloud surfaced to his mind. He had been smart, but a little naïve at the same time. Not exactly the most sociable person out there, but friendly and open once you got to know him. And when he smiled it made him look that much younger-borderline boy-ish.**_

_**Like any teenager Cloud had his share of insecurities, but Zack always had a feeling the kid was much more than he seemed.**__ ' But I wonder__**…**__what happened to him that day?'__** Physically, mentally and emotionally…what happened to Cloud? He knew the mako poisoning was why he seemed so far away ( There goes that " Knowing" thing again.) having just begun his recovery. But what happened to him after he died? Zack slumped forward and covered his eyes with a muddy gloved hand as guilt welled up inside of him.**_

_**The selfish part of him felt it came as a great comfort to him to know that at least, he hadn't died alone. But then there was a stronger part-the one that cared about Cloud-that felt sad. Through the time they had spent together in Shinra, Zack had come to see him as the little brother he never had. He had been so sure he could get them both out of Shinra ( Hell) alive…he knew there was a chance they might die but, he never once thought it would actually happen to him. That was why he was suddenly ashamed of feeling selfish. Because he had been foolhardy and because Cloud had been with him, he'd ended up having to watch Zack die. **__' He was way too young__**.**__ That is something he never should have seen__**.**__' _

_**The crow fluttered his wings and landed on the ground next to him as Zack gave a frustrated groan before falling back on to the ground. For a while he just lay still and looked up at the sky and the water that continued to fall from it. " Enjoying the weather, friend?" Zack shot up from the ground as his crow cawed and flew down to the sword again. On top of everything else, now this…? Standing in front of him was a man dressed entirely in black. He had on black, worn leather pants, boots and a single black long-sleeved shirt to protect him from the rain.**_

_**Long shoulder-length dark brown hair fell in rain-flattened waves. But all this wasn't what made Zack stare. This man's face was paper white with black shadows surrounding his eyes and then sharply splitting up to his forehead and down to his cheek. His lips were completely black with the markings stretching past his lips to form a smile. Pretty much-he looked like he was wearing a classic theater mask, only rather than being painted on the face it seemed to be a part of his very skin. This bizarre stranger was currently standing before him with his arms crossed ( Zack then noticed his nails were black.) and a smirk on his lips. He wordlessly extended his arm and out of nowhere a crow of his own landed there. " Suddenly, I heard a tapping-as of someone gently rapping. Rapping at my chamber door." By the sound of his tone it was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or serious, but he didn't seem to care either way as he trailed his hand along his crow's feathers.**_

_**The hell…?**_

_**Zack slowly stood up from the ground and stared curiously at the strange man. " What?" Not the most articulate of responses, but from what he had to work with right here in fornt of him, what else was there? The stranger's**__** smir**__**k grew and he stepped forward. **_

" _**You heard him tapping, right?" He asked, gesturing to Zack's crow resting on the fallen sword's blade. Zack tensed slightly as the man took in Zack's own appearance. He didn't seem like a threat, but you never knew.**_

" _**What do you want with me? Who are you?" The man chuckled softly as his crow flew from his arm to join Zack's on the ground. **_

" _**I don't want anything of you." He said. He sounded sincere enough... " I want good things for you. My name is Eric Draven since you want to know so badly, Zack Fair." Had they met before? No-he would have definitely remembered this guy if that were the case. So then, how did this man know him?**_

" _**H-How did you know my name?" Eric let his arms drop to the side and he shrugged meaninglessly, his expression becoming softer.**_

" _**Your lady told me." Now he was lost.**_

" _**My…lady?" Eric shook his head as he narrowed his eyes in disbelief.**_

" _**You're still remembering, aren't you? You don't know why you're here yet." Zack felt himself become frustrated as Eric gazed at him with newfound sympathy. How could he already know so much about him-hell ANYTHING?! ( Or was it because of " His Lady?")**_

" _**How do you know all this?" Eric stared at him dubiously at his question.**_

" _**Isn't it obvious? No?" Eric walked past Zack to lean casually on a boulder. He held up one finger and beckoned Zack over to where he was. Zack eyed him cautiously before walking over to him. Eric then wordlessly pointed to a rock next to himself that had a dent in it deep enough to gather the falling water in to a tiny pool. Zack glanced at Eric suspiciously, then looked in to the water and his eyes went wide. His hair was midnight black and spiked haphazardly around his scalp. Navy stared in to navy before taking in his facial features…which were just like Eric's.**_

_**He gripped the sides of the rock as he gazed unbelievingly at himself. " I don't believe this." Zack whispered. **_

**_" Truth is, belief is not required." Eric watched on as Zack got a good look at himself for the first time. _**_**White face, black eyes, black lips stretched in to a smile...…did he…? Zack looked down and quickly exposed one of his gloved hands. Yes. The nails were black too. How long had he been like this? " Nice face, right?" Zack snapped his head to the side to see Eric watching him carefully, even though his tone was light. Zack could only stare dumbly back at him before remembering how to work his voice.**_

" _**How…how did this happen to us?" Eric knew what he meant and jerked his head to the crows on the ground who cawed back at them. Zack forced his hand back in to the wet glove as he followed Eric's eyes.**_

" _**Don't worry: This beauty mark isn't permanent. This is typically how a crow really looks, our faces taking on the " Crow" mask. It happens when we feel extreme emotions like anger or fear. Sometimes sadness too. I'm like you. Dead but not dead." Zack blinked once before what he'd said hit him. **__' Dead__**…**__but not dead? What Crow? I don't understand!'_

_**He thought back to when he first came from his grave. Zack had assumed he'd simply come back to life, but judging from what this character in front of him said and his own reflection, that wasn't the case. So then…what was he? He was beginning to get frustrated...and scared. " What exactly am I? I feel like I'm alive, but I suddenly find myself the proud owner of a pet crow, a new make-over and I keep seeing things!" Eric raised a brow at Zack's use of sarcasm, but decide to let it slide. He'd been like that once.**_

" _**We're like I said: We're dead, but we appear to the general public as alive." Zack's brow furrowed as this information sank in. But he still wanted more answers. Much more.**' Trouble is I have no idea where to start**.**'** He** **thought back to what had happened to him so far, trying to keep an open mind. ( And it had usually been so easy for him.) **' Rising from the grave, followed by a crow, visions of my life-THAT'S IT!'_

" _**And what about these visions I keep having? How can I see by just touching something?" He asked shakily. Eric shook his head slightly, not bothered in the least as a wet lock of hair fell in his eyes.**_

" _**Not sure about that one. Just trust that it works and it'll help you." Zack nodded again, but he still didn't understand everything-and that was frustrating him even more.**_

" _**But you still haven't told me what we **__are__**! Is there a name of us or something?"**_

" _**We're called " Crows." by those who know about us. I bet you can guess why." He nodded again to the crows at their feet as an explanation. Zack nodded in understanding ( Sort of) and waited for Eric to continue. He crossed his arms again and looked away from Zack's face as his own became serious.**_

" _**There's a nice little saying that comes with what we are: When someone dies, a crow carries their spirit to the land of the dead. But sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it, and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes-just sometimes-the crow can bring the soul back to put the wrong things right." **__' A terrible sadness, huh? To set the wrong thing's right? What wrong things? What's my sadness? ( Cloud?) And who's my " Lady?" Why did she send him? Is it the same one I thought about before I**...**?'_

" _**What wrong things? Why are you here?" Eric's eyes returned to Zack as they lost the sense of being far away and now the stare was calculating.**_

" _**I can't tell you everything, Zack. I'm just here to help you out a little. **__**This**__** crow is technically-how would you put it?" He looked up to the sky as he searched for the right word. "……Retired. I've done what I've had to do long ago. Now I'm just here to spread the love…and now I'm done." Eric smoothly pushed himself from the boulder and held out his arm so his crow could come back to him.**_

_**As Eric began to walk away, Zack stalked away from the pool to place a firm hand on Eric's shoulder and turn him around. " Wait-that's it?! What am I supposed to do now?!" Both looked to the ground as Zack's crow cawed in a somewhat annoyed fashion. Then Eric's eyes returned to stare in to Zack's own seriously.**_

" _**Follow your crow. He'll tell you where to go." Eric made to pull away, But Zack stubbornly held on to his shoulder.**_

" _**And where are you going?" He smiled and shook his head at Zack again.**_

" _**I can't walk you through this Zack. This is something you have to do on your own. And besides, I have other things I have to do. We'll talk later once you've figured things out a little." He pulled away from Zack's hand and walked away with his crow, their bodies becoming more transparent with every step until they simply weren't there anymore. Zack stared dumbly at where the duo had been just seconds before until his crow cawed sharply and brought him back. He shakily kneeled before the bird and stared in to it's eyes. He was still reeling from what Eric had just told him, so he was understandably a little riled up. Even if he was dead, ( He flinched ) he was still Zack Fair, former SOLDIER 1**__**st**__** class. **_

_**And right now he had to treat this like he would a mission. He couldn't show fear and he had to be strong because apparently-someone needed him. If what Eric said was true ( And with all that had just happened, it was a little hard to doubt him.) then the crow would let him know how to carry out this operation. " You're supposed to help me, right?" The bird's Only response was a tilt of the head. " Then please tell me what I'm supposed to do now." The crow cawed again and flew over his head and the just beyond the cliff before turning back to Zack with an imploring stare.**_

_**He looked towards the direction the bird had flown and a huge, sprawling metropolis greeted him from the distance. " Midgar, huh?" It just rolled off his tongue. **__' Must be another " Crow" thing__**.**__'__** " And I'll probably do it again. So it's a " Learn-as-you-go" thing." Zack shook his own head in defeat then slowly stood up. He walked over to where his sword lay and then picked it up, then attached it to the magnet on the back of his suspenders-which somehow still managed to secure the sword through all the rust.**_

_**It was still his and something told him he'd be needing it later. He turned to the crow again as it hovered just beyond the cliff. " Okay. Lead the way."**_

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**_And scene! Okay-so the clue here lies with Eric's Cameo. He did say a few " Crow-esque" lines, but not his own. Care to guess which " Crow" he referanced and where? Please R&R and good luck to those trying to guess!_**


	3. Adjustments

_**It's me again! So, now it's time again to reveal last chapter's challenge answer! ( Crowd clapps.) So, as I stated last time, Eric did mention some crow-lines, but not all of them were his own. So, which crow did he reference and where? ( Drum roll)......The line was: " The truth is, belief is not required." This quote was made by Jimmy Curevo, the crow of " The Crow: Wicked Prayer." Sadly no one guessed that one. ( Crowd: " Aawww!") But, no worries! Our contestants will have another chance to play again in this chapter! ( Crowd clapps.) So here it is and good luck!**_

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**_Adjustments_**

**_" Like I said: Since when has normal ever been exciting?" He mumbled to himself. Standing out there in the rain he had expected three things. One: The only way he could get to Midgar was to run. Two: The distance proved the run would not be a fun one. And three: Climbing down the cliff with sharp rocks and rain-soaked earth in his way promised at least one broken bone. The last part of this theaory proved more than true when he first began to climb down._**

_**Once he thought he'd found his footing, Zack had lowered himself slowly away from the edge of the cliff. But as soon as he put his weight on a rock his foot slipped, starting a chain reaction. When that happened he lost his security on the other foot, his own weight pulled him down, and and his slick gloves yeilded to the muddy edge he held and he fell......all-the-way-down. And GOD DAMN DID IT HURT! **' I think I hit every freaking rock on the way down!' **Zack grimaced as he recalled the incident. He could feel his body breaking and he definitely heard his bones snap and jerk away from where they were supposed to be. After what seemd like forever he finally hit the ground with a sickening " Crunch", the crow cawing out to him as he lay there.**_

_**The first thing he thought of-no-the only thing he could think of was the pain, DEAR GOD THE PAIN!! Then he thought about how stupid he was: He had just come back, **' And now thanks to my bonehead move, I'm gonna die again before i've even started!'** Giving an exhasparated yell he smacked his forehead with his hand.** ' Wait! I just**-**!'** Zack lifted his hand from his head and stared with wide eyes as he expirementally curled his fingers in to a strong fist. **' A man battered and broken beyond reason shouldn't be alive, let alone have any remaining ability to move!'** So how did he? Zack lay as still as possible, waiting for the pain. **' Wait, what? Where did the pain go? Didn't I-wasn't I just**...**?' _

_**He winced as new sounds and sensations reached him...and it had to be one of the single most disturbing and disgusting things in his life. ( Or was it death now? Or life in death since he was both?) He felt the gashes in his skin, created by the jagged edges and sharp shafts of the cliff, seal themselves shut while his bones readjusted themselves. It didn't really hurt-just the pressure of skin piecing itself together and shifts in his body were some of the things alerting him to the fact that it was happening. The second being the sound. Sloppy suction and slick, squishing noises made his stomach turn as the lost blood was sucked back in to his body and the skin squished and fit together. He winced in disgust as his bones snapped and grated back in to place, and tried to not swallow the moisture that had accumulated in his mouth from the discomfort he now felt. True the whole process had only lasted seconds but.......**_

_**" I think I'm gonna hurl." He groaned and rolled on to his side to let the cool, wet ground sooth him. By now he had a theaory, so to test that, once his stomach had calmed down...he pushed himself from the ground and stood up straight. He looked over his arms where the skin was once torn and red, only now the skin was smooth and whole. He flexed his arms and hands and bent his knees. His bones were back in perfect working order. And the pain was gone! Nothing! **' Well good**.** Okay, up side: I can't be killed again**.** ( THANK YOU!) Down side**: **If I get hurt again**....... **yuck**.**' _

_**The crow cawed in an impatient way that made Zack look up to where the crow was hovering in the air. Not bothering to wait the bird took off in Midgar's direction. **' Oh yeah!'** " H-Hey! Wait up!" He called. Then he groaned as he began working his muscles in a jog. Not that he didn't like running, but Midgar had to be at least eight miles away! **' Don't get your hopes up, Fair**.** It only looks close because it's a big city**.** Or,' **Zack stared ahead at the crumbling, delapidated structure. **' what WAS a city**.**'** Pushing those thoughts away Zack continued to jog as the crow flew ahead of him, the rain now becoming a light drizzle.** _

_' One mile, not too hard**.........**two**...**okay, now it should start getti'n harder**............**huh?'** " Huh" just about summed it up for him. By four miles he was still feeling strong and he hadn't lost his breath yet-any at all! Curious he pushed himself harder until he was full-out running. And he was still not tired! He couldn't help it: He laughed out loud. The feeling was beyond incredible! The feeling of unlimited speed and the wind whipping his face as the scenery moved around him. **' I could so get used to this!' **Before long the duo had breached Midgar's surrounding, broken walls and were running through the streets.**_

_**Suddenly he wasn't feeling so good. The slums-which had always looked bad to begin with, now looked like indistinguishable piles of rubble and bent twisted pipes. What used to be a house here, the old weapons shop there. He literally had to high-step the streets every few feet to avoid tripping over something. He finally paused at what used to be a fountain ( Now a huge pile of rocks and singed debris) and scanned over what was in front of him. **' What happened here?' **Zack raised** **his hand and stared at it. " Just trust that it works." He reminded himself. Slowly, he inched his hand forward to the pile. **' I'm not so sure I wanna know**.**' **But it was too late to turn back now. **_

_**His hand met the stone and instantly images and sounds bombarded him.**_

_A great red star shone brightly in the sky, rivaling the sun it turned the sky in to day-long colors of sunset**.** A little girl with red hair gazed up at this spectacle with curious eyes**.** A woman with hair as red as her daughter's stood next to her and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, afraid that if she let go the red star might take her away**.** The girl looked up at her mother and tugged on her sleeve to get attention**.** " Mommy? What is that?"** Zack felt himself flinch as the vision changed as quickly as it had come. **People were running and screaming for their loved ones or their lives as the now-known red meteor plummeted fast to the earth, it's energies reaching the ground with harsh windstorms and red tendrils that destroyed everything they touched**.** One red ribbon had to only brush the house in it's way lightly for the structure to break apart and scatter to the four winds**.** Those who were unable to find shelter were buried alive by the debris that fell on them and crushed the life out of their bodies**.** _

_The meteor drew closer and closer, the red tornados growing more violent and the death-toll increasing by the second**.** However if one were to look in to the sky one would see an airship in the distance, the passangers looking down on the scene with horror**.** Suddenly the vision of a woman clouded Zack's mind as he became aware of bright green lights and small rivers of a new energy seep from the earth and entraping the meteor**. **A young woman was kneeling on an alter of some kind, her hands clasped together in prayer**.** From where he stood Zack could only see a quarter profile of her face, and her light brown hair tied up in a pink bow to fall in a graceful twist down her back**. **He knew that she was beautiful, and he also knew that he had known this woman from somewhere**...** **He felt very annoyed as the vision of the woman disappeared. Her name was just on the tip of his tongue!** The rivers of green energy and light ( ' It's the lifestream, isn't it?' ) continued to reach toward the meteor until it was completely submerged**.** A blinding flash of white light burst from the center and spread seemingly everywhere-**and he pulled his hand from the stone.**_

_**" ...Meteror. A meteror was summoned to this earth to destroy it. But that girl......her prayer called the lifestream and it stopped." Zack looked around him at the ruins that Meteror had left behind with new eyes.** ' So many died that day**.**' **The crow flew from his perch and landed on Zack's sholder, nuzzling his head gently. Then it lightly flew down and looked down the street, then back a Zack. " I know. We still have things to do." He sighed in a resigned way and looked at the stones one more time. " We can't stay: We gotta keep moving." The crow instantly lifted himself from the ground and he followed him as the crow led him to where he was supposed to be.**_

**_He didn't know which path they took, his eyes keeping only to the crow, but soon enough the crow led him to a piece of land that was somehow much cleaner than the rest. There were very few piles of debris here and Zack saw one of the few structures that had somehow survived Meteor's attack: A church. " The sector five church?" Again-it just came to him. The crow flew faster ahead and glided through the entrance, the doors seemingly gone. Zack ran ahead, through the entrance, and tripped on the door? " Smart." Was all he said to himself as he lay there on his stomach with his chin resting on the wood floor. Zack pushed himself up and looked to where his foot had been. The door's corner lay proudly next to where his foot was, which had caught his boot when he'd run in._**

_**" Now how did this happen?" He touched the door......and laughed out loud with a whoop and a slap of his thigh. **The doors to the church burst open and off their hinges as a sleek, large black motorcycle broke through them, the rider sporting a dangerous glare with a hint of determination in his cerulean eyes**.** His spiked blonde hair swayed with the wind as he charged forward, with all intention of running over a cocky-looking youth with platinum hair, a bratty glare of his own aimed at Cloud**. Zack's smile grew wider as another fit threatened to overtake him. Who knew his little Cloud could look like such a bad ass? He continued to grin like a cheshire cat as he thought about what he'd seen. Cloud had definitely grown tougher-anyone could see that. He looked like he'd even gotten a bit taller with bigger muscles and angles lining his face, the puppy fat from his childhood long gone. **_

_**He jokingly wondered how many girls were beating down his door now. **' But then again he was always kinda shy**.** If he does have any admirers, please someone tell me he's been able to talk to at least one**.**' **Still chuckling to himself Zack shook his head and looked around at the church's condition now. The pews were broken and lay haphazardly against the walls while a column lay in a broken mess on the floor. At the end of the isle was a large pool of unsettlingly clear water while light raindrops disturbed the surface from an opening above. Zack slowly walked over to the pool then crouched down as he dared a look in to the glassy surface as a sudden question entered his mind. Yes, the " Crow mask" was gone now. His own flesh-colored face stared back at him, his hair still a mess and his clothes and body cacked with mud and dirt.**_

**_Then the crow landed on his back and began pecking at his sword again! " Hey! I thought I told you to stop that!" He complained. When the crow didn't stop he yanked the rusty weapon off his back, earning a disgruntled caw as the crow flew on to the fallen column, for his sudden action had jostled the bird. " Sorry." Zack gave the bird a sheepish smile and a shrug. In return the crow looked from the sword to the pool, then back again. " What? What is it?" Zack looked at his own sword then to the pool like his crow had done until something in his head clicked. " Put the sword in the pool?" The crow cawed happily._**

**_" Oookay." He cautiously lowered the weapon in to the water until the blade and the handle were completely submerged. Zack stared in wonder as a faint shimmer surrounded his sword, the water waving gently. Then it stopped. Zack yanked his sword out of the water and his jaw almost literally fell to the floor. His sword was sharp, gleaming, perfect. With no trace of rust or residue visible the blade looked practically brand new! " Wow." The crow flapped his wings and rustled his feahers in an " I-told-you-so" kind of way. Zack smiled again and held up a hand. " Thanks...uh, bird." He frowned at the last word. _**

**_" Doesen't sound quite right, does it? I mean-" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. " I can't just keep calling you ' Bird' or ' Crow' or whatever." Zack seated himself on the floor and crossed his legs. He gently placed his sword on the ground in front of him as he struggled to think of a name for this bird. Said crow fluttered down from the fallen column and landed next to Zack as he thought hard about a name. He took off his muddy gloves so he could pet the bird without dirying his feathers...until one in particular caught his eye. It was one that ran directly down the middle of his back. He'd never noticed before, but this feather was an ashy grey color. Zack rubbed the crow's back lightly and yes, the miscolored feather was natural._**

_**Then the name came to him. " Ashe. Yeah...I'll call you ' Ashe.' You like it?" He gazed hopefully in to the bird's eyes, whom cawed softly and nuzzled his hand affectionately. " Okay. Ashe it is then." He laughed. Now that was settled, so the next thing was: What about his clothes? They were torn, peppered with holes from the gunshots and dirty to boot. Zack got up and wandered around the pool, wondering** ' what the heck am I supposed to do about this?'** " Know where I could get some new clothes?" The question was completely rethorical, but Ashe knew the answer. **_

**_He flew up and around the pool to a new room. It had been almost comletely hidden from view by another column, which Zack would have never seen unless Ashe had flown to it. Zack got up and followed him, carefully stepping over the stones and around the pool to the room. Inside the small room was an old, worn wardrobe, a desk with only two legs and a moldy broken-down cot. " I guess this is where the priest used to stay when he wasn't performing a service. Hey Ashe, how'd you know this was here?" He fluttered his feathers in response. " Just knew, huh?"_**

**_Zack walked over to the wardrobe and pulled them open. A cloud of dust fell over him and he waved it away with his hand and coughed out the small amount he'd breathed in. Inside was a black over coat, hanging loosely on a wire hanger. Zack took this out and held it up, giving it a once-over, before shaking the dust out. Then he rummaged around the priest's robes until he found the drawer buried underneath them. He pulled this open...and inside were various shirts and pants thrown messily inside. Ashe waited patiently, preening his feathers as Zack finally picked out a good pair of black pants, a grey t-shirt and a black button-up shirt. On the bottom of the wardrobe were only one set of boots. Black-as was appropriate-which Zack also decided to commandeer for himself._**

**_" Okay, Ashe! Bath time!" Ashe cawed haughtily and flew up in to the rafters, as if saying: ' Speak for yourself!' Zack snickered as he ran back to the pool._**

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**_Eh, I guess that's it for now. Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but i've been taking time off this story to work on one of my other ones, and school's kept me busy. But the next chapter is in progress and it holds a few surprises. In the next chapter, Zack and Ashe will make contact with a living person! Yay! So, on to the chapter challenge: The clue here is with the crow's name. Can you tell me what character he is named after and from which crow? Please R&R and good luck!_**


	4. The Troubled Young

**_Hi! So now it's that special time again when we reveal the answer to the chapter challange! So, the challange was: Which character was Zack's crow named after, and from which crow movie. The answer is: The Crow: City Of Angels. " Ashe" was the lead character ( Crow) from this particualr movie. Once again-no one guessed it. ): C'mon, guys! Okay, okay. Maybe my clues are a little too hard...? I'll try to go easy on you guys this chapter. ( I said try-no garuntees.) So dim the lights and start the show, get ready-get set cuz here we go!!......Ya...that was lame, wasn't it? Disclaimer: I own nothing!_**

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**_The Troubled Young_**

_**Zack smiled cheekily back at himself as he stared in to his reflection within the pool. It felt good to be clean and dry again, his sword secured to his back by a long strip of brown leather he'd found. His smile dimmed ever so slightly as a new thought entered his mind: **' This place...ever since I came here i've felt at peace-calm even. Why? Have I been here before? This place feels familiar so, I think I have. Hmm**...' He stared down at his now un-gloved hands and shrugged.** ' Well, seeing is beliving**.**' **So with this in mind, he placed both hands at the edges of the pool, closed his eyes and concentrated hard as he willed his hands to show him what he needed.** _

_**" Hell-looo!"** ' Huh? Who's there?'** The voice that had spoken to him sent shivers down his spine as a feeling of warmth spread throughout his body. It sounded like a young girl, her voice melodic and sweet. " Hell-looo!"** **Zack opened his eyes to see where she was calling him from, and- **' He was lying flat on his back, staring up in to the face of quite possibly the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Bright, vibrant green eyes stared down at him, surrounded by smooth, creamy skin. Light brown hair framed the girl's beautiful hert-shaped face, a smile blossoming from her full pink lips. " Hell-looo!" Groaning Zack push himself in to an awkward sitting position in the flower bed he rested in. Light shown down on them from the newly-created hole in the ceiling as he looked aroun himself, then back to the girl standing patiently before him._

_" Heaven?" What else could it be? Either this, or Zack was just extremely lucky. The girl smiled and shook her head**.**_

_" Not quite**.**" She answered back in a sweet, soft voice**.** Zack smiled cheekily up at her as he rested one of his arms on a bent knee**.**_

_" An angel?" He inquired. She giggled and shook her head again as a cute blush spread over her cheeks._

_" No, I'm Aeris**.**"_

_**" That name...I-"** Then his mind was flooded with visions and sounds as he began to remember the one he loved most**. **He turned around to face the beautiful girl again, sporting a wide grin as a solution came to mind**.**_

_" Hey! How about one date?" He proposed**.**_

_"**...**Don't be silly." Aeris giggled as Zack scratched the back of his head in embarassment**.**_

_" There**...**how's that?" Zack asked, having secured the soft pink ribbon in to her hair**.** She brought he hand up slowly and touched the bow then smiled and turned to him**.**_

_" It's perfect**.** I'll never take it off**.**"_

_" Who wants to see the sky?" She asked, then looked away from his curious gaze**.** " I don't**.**"_

_"**......**Feels like it might pull me in and swallow me up**.**" Zack laughed and took her hand into his own**.**_

_" Someday, I'll show you the sky-the real sky**.** You're gonna love it! I know you will!" She looked up from the ground and gave him a small, trusting smile**.**_

_" Aeris**.** Wait for me**.**"** And so it continued, the rush of her voice, her smile, her touch. In that moment he remembered her completely. " Aeris." He rememberd now: He'd met her when he was still in SOLDIER. But...when he died, she hadn't known, and thus had moved on. It wasn't until she was killed by Sephiroth that the two of them were reunited. He had been shocked when she met him in the lifestream, and angered that her own life had been cut so short. But they had been together and that was all that mattered. Still...**' If I'm here, where is she?'_

_**Why hadn't she come back with him? He knew now without a doubt that she was the one who had sent Eric to him...but why? What task could be so important that it would bring him back to the world of the living?** ' I have to find Eric again**.** He said he would give me more answers once i'd figured things out on my own**.** Well now I know that Aeris is the one who sent me here-and he's going to tell me why!'** " Stop it!" Zack lifted his head as Ashe cawed and flew to his side. It sounded like a kid. Outside? The crow flapped his wings and took to the air again and sailed out the church doors. As Zack stood there his own eyesight suddenly changed.**_

_**The world was seen in with vivid colors and sounds so sharp even his own mako-enhanced hearing could be rivaled.** ' It's Ashe**. **I'm seeing through his eyes, arent I?' **Just beyond the doors were a group of boys. They looked young, not even in their teens yet. Zack and Ashe quickly scanned them over and counted five in the chaos that was a scuffle consisting of punching, biting and dirty attempts at grion-kicking......all aimed at one boy among them. He may not have known the whole story here but what he did know was four against one wasn't exactly fair. Sporting a cocky smirk he strode out of the church and toward the fight with an air of authority around him as the crow perched himself on a pile of rubble nearby.**_

_**" Four on one, huh?" The boys froze where they stood, still poised to attack and gaped at him like fish out of water. The fourth lay panting on the ground worn out from his beatings and stared incredilously at Zack. On impulse He took a moment to examine the boy on the ground. His hair was dark brown-almost black and spiked every which way. His eyes, which glared at him with indignant anger were deep blue. The boy's pale face and skin were splotched with bruises and dirt. Zack chuckled and shook his head at the other boys as he continued to apporach them. " Though a group of five **is** an uneven number...talk about taking out the middle man." He stopped just short of the boys and crossed his arms.**_

**_The boys hastily backed away and a burly blonde ( Most likely the ring leader.) laughed nervously and waved his hands in the air. " No, no, no Sir. We-We were just playi'n around." Then he turned to the injured boy whom had by now picked himself up from the ground and was currently attempting to wipe the dirt from his hands to his jeans. " Right, J?" _**

**_" No, they were beating the shit out of me for not handing over my allowance money." The newly named ' J ' said, his tone blunt and careless. Zack chuckled at his colorful vocabulary and focused again on the blonde who looked like he might rip J's head off at any moment. He had to admit, the kid had guts._**

**_" Really now?" His grin became wicked as he reached behind himself and pulled his buster sword from his makeshift leather holding and he slowly walked towards the bullies again. J eyed Zack with emotions boardering between awe and fear while his so called " Friends" went fifty shades of pale and shook with fright. Just to make it better/worse, Zack tapped in to his inner Crow and just by glancing at his black-dyed nails he knew he had obtained his Crow mask. This was just too much for them and the four ran faster than champions, tripping over themselves all the way. Laughing at their hasty retreat Zack sheathed his sword and clapped his hand in what he thought of as a well-deserved applause. J on the other hand was still staring at Zack like he was a prime criminal just escaped from prison, and the way Zack had laughed sent small chills down his spine. Still, the boy was a stubborn one and he refused to let his fear show, so he stood his ground and once again glared at the strange man with the painted face._**

**_" Hey!" Zack stopped laughing and smirked down at the boy._**

**_" Do I sense thy gratitude be lost in the troublesome waters of embarassment?" J balled his fists and then raised one hand to point harshly in the troublemaker's direction._**

**_" That was MY fight! Mine! What the..! How?! WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"_**

**_" Your savior." Came Zack's simple reply. J huffed though his nose and bit in to his jaw. Then he stepped back from Zack and arrogantly scanned his appearance up and down._**

_**" Look more like a mime from hell to me." J snapped.** ' Kid's too uptight**.** Maybe I should try to smooth things over**.**' **Still he had to admire that tough-guy attitude he was displaying. Even if he was only a kid...it was kind of endearing. Zack smirked at him and walked forward and held out a hand for J to shake.** _

**_" I'm Zack."_**

_**" I'm outta here." J spun on his heel and began marching away from him. Zack was a little disappointed to see him go. Then a loud Caw from Ashe grabbed his attention and he looked back his feathered friend's perch on the rubble pile. Ashe jerked his beak upward and flapped his wings impatiently. He got the hint. He could almost hear him screetching: ' You dimwit what are you waiting for?! Go after him!!' But why?** ' I needed to find Eric now not-'** The crow left room for no argument as he flew over to him and perched on his shoulder. With a resigned sigh Zack jogged forward to catch up with J, Ashe surprising him with his balancing skills as he stayed on Zack's shoulder.**_

**_" I'mouttahere, huh?" He joked, having caught up to J in seconds. The boy snapped his head to give Zack a dubiously angry look before turning away and he continued to walk. " Kinda long, but I think it might grow on me."_**

**_" Idiot that's not my name."_**

**_" Thought so: There's no ' J ' in it." _**

**_" That supposed to be funny?!" J snapped._**

**_" Yeah, it was." They both came to a stop and J eyed him skeptically. His gaze wandered over to the crow curiously then he fixed his gaze back on Zack._**

**_" Why are you carrying around a diseased bird?" Ashe cawed sharply at the boy, clearly insulted by his comment. Zack chuckled good-naturedly and stroked the crow's feathers to ease him. Ashe puffed out his chest but otherwise did nothing else._**

**_" He's not diseased. He's my friend. Boy, this is Ashe. Ashe, this is..." He let the introduction hang in the air, waiting for J to finish it. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin haughtily._**

_**" J's all you need to know." It was obvious he wasn't going to give in, so Zack smiled and just accepted it.** ' At least I got something**.**'_

**_" Ashe, this is J." Zack briefly looked back and fourth between the two and then knelt down to J's level so now the boy was somewhat taller than him. " You wanna pet him?" J eyed the crow curiously, but then seemed to decide against it._**

**_" I'm good. Thanks." Zack just shrugged it off and smiled again._**

**_" Another time, then." J continued to examine him carefully...and Zack allowed it when he reached a cautious hand forward to gently poke his cheek._**

**_" How did you do that? To your face I mean. How did you change it like that?" His tone was suspicious and his expression guarded. Zack glanced down at his hands to find them comepletely normal. It seemed somewhere within the last few minutes his mask had hidden itself away again._**

**_" Just a talent." And he left it at that. He couldn't just go telling everyone he met now, could he? J frowned at his less-than-explanitory answer but decided to let it go anyways. Zack stood up and shoved his hands in to his coat pockets. " So. Where to J?" The boy blinked in surprise, then his eyes hardened at him again. " y'know, if you keep glaring like that I'll think you don't like me." J turned away and began stomping down the street again._**

**_" Whatever. And you're not coming with me! I'm not taki'n you home like some lost dog!"_**

_**" Funny you said that. A friend of mine used to call me a hyperactive puppy." The information was as random as the statement. The phrase just left his mouth of it's own accord. That and the knowledge as to which friend made itself known.** ' Angeal**...**' **Once again the boy halted in his tracks and eyed Zack curiously. The silence hung between them for a moment before Zack walked over to the boy's side and nodded forward. " I'll just walk you home, then we'll leave it at that. No catch, no bother. Okay?" J watched him suspiciously before finally giving in with a sigh and simple nod.**_

**_" So......Zack, was it?"_**

**_" The one and only." He gave J another smile and the boy rolled his eyes and began walking side-by-side with his new bodyguard, his crow taking to the skies above. _**

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**_Okie dokie then! That does it for this chapter. So, in here the clue is hidden during J's temper tantrums. Which Crow did he reffer to? Remember: The one who can tell me the answer gets a chapter request for this story. And as a bonus, the one who can tell me also which character from the Crows said the borrowed line will win a one-shot request! Please R&R!_**


	5. A Conflict Of Interest

**_Hi Hi! So now it's that fun time again to reveal the answers to the chapter challange! Last chapter I asked you to guess which Crow J referred. The answer is: The Crow. The line he said was " Look more like a mime from hell to me." Congrats to Cpt. Sawmonkey who got it right! The actual line from the movie was as follows: " Great. Guy shows up looki'n like a mime from hell...and I lose 'em right out in the open." Or something close to that. So send in that chapter request when you're ready. The bonus challange was to tell me which character said this line. The answer is...Officer Deryl Albrecht. Okay, now on to the next chapter and the next challange! Disclaimer: No...damn._**

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**_A Conflict Of Interest_**

**_They walked together in silence, trekking their way through the barren land between a town in the distance and what remained of the sector five slums. Zack glanced sideways at J as the crow sailed on above them. They had been walking for half an hour and they had not spoken once. He didn't particuarly mind the silence, but there was such a thing as too much. In his opinion anyway. " So..." Zack brought a hand from the depths of his coat pocket to scratch the back of his head awkwardly as he fished in his mind for something to talk about. " You used some pretty big words back there. Just how old are you?"_**

**_" Not supposed to tell strangers how old you are." Came his short reply. _**

**_" Why?"_**

**_" Just aren't."_**

**_" What if I promise not to tell?" J looked up at Zack, who smiled kindly at him before snapping his head forward, letting his eyes focus on the road ahead._**

**_"......I'm eleven. Almost twelve... Happy?" Zack's smile grew bigger and he laughed quietly. He couldn't quite explain it, but something about the kid humored him. And it felt strangely familiar..._**

**_" Yup." J briefly looked to Zack's face before returning his eyes to the town in the distance._**

**_" Do...you talk like that in front of your folks?"_**

**_" Sometimes."_**

**_" Do they get mad?" J scoffed at his question and he shoved his hands in to his pockets as he glared back at Zack again._**

_**" What do you care? Are you gonna tattle on me? Tell my parents that I got in to a fight today and cursed all the fucking way home?!" He challenged. Though Zack did not approve of the boy's attitude ( **' Especially to his parents-unless they're abusive or something and really deserve it**.**'**) getting angry or cross with him in any way would not help things in the long run, so Zack just shrugged it away and continued to smile softly as he strolled along beside J with Ashe following the both of them.**_

**_" No." Was Zack's simple reply to J's little rant and he let his eyes slide to the side curious as to what J would think about that. He tried to not laugh as J's face transformed from anger and aggression to shock, his eyes wide and his lips parted slightly. But J quickly snapped out of his surprised daze and he looked back to the road again._**

**_" You smile too much." He grumbled._**

**_" You don't smile enough." Came Zack's playful counter attack. J shrugged carelessly at him._**

**_" So? You gonna arrest me for it or somethi'n?" Zack let his eyes slide to the side s he could glance at J again, his smile becoming a smirk. On impulse he mentally made the descision: One way or another he was going to make this boy smile. Keeping his smirk Zack shrugged aimlessly and swung his hands at his sides._**

_**" Is that a challenge?" J stpped in his tracks and glared hard at Zack, as if mentally measuring his every word and every movement. Above Ashe circled over their heads, waiting for them to continue their walk. When they did nothing he let out a very loud, very annoyed caw. **' What's up with Ashe? Why's he so eager all of a sudden?' **Still he continued to watch J as he stared back at him. He didn't move when the boy decided to slowly cirlce him, and he allowed it when J pulled his hand from his pocket and expirementally ran his fingers over his skin. He would occasionally apply pressure to his fingers and rub the bones and sinew he might feel hidden by the skin, and bent his head to get a better look at the bluish veins lacing everything. Zack chuckled when J took his wrist and flopped his hand up and down.**_

**_" J? What are you doing?" He asked with amusement. J stopped and let Zack's hand fall to is side._**

**_"...Are you a freak?"_**

**_" If by freak you mean awsomely unique, then yes!" Zack laughed out loud at the dubious ' I-can't-believe-he-just-said-that-out-loud' look on his face. " So, Doctor J, since this will be kept within the barriers of doctor/patient confidentiality, would you care to reveal the findings of your analysis?" The boy scowled at him and strode ahead of him, continuing on their walk. Zack followed suit and easily caught up with him. _**

**_" I'm not your doctor." J mumbled. Zack ruffled the boy's already messy hair which earned him a small annoyed pout from J._**

**_" I know. But are you going to tell me what you were doing?"_**

_**"......Are you human?" He tilted his head, his expression thoughtful as he turned J's question around in his head. Was he human? A man brought back from the dead? Yes. But did his newfound immortality, abilities and recycled life mean he was still human? Or was he something else now?** ' Or now that i'm here, does it even matter?'** As he continued to think it over, J noticed for the first time since he had met the man... that he wasn't smiling. That not to say he looked mad or upset either. Actually, it looked like he was doing advanced algebra in his head. **_

_**" Hey. You hear me Zack?" Zack jumped slightly as he was brought back from his thoughts and smiled sheepishly.**_

**_" Sorry I zoned out on you there. So, back to the question: Am I human?... What do you think?" J's eyes widened slightly at the sincerity he heard in Zack's voice. He wasn't joking, he wasn't being sarcastic and he wasn't teasing him either. He really wanted to know what he thought. Still, that didn't mean he was going to go easy on him. You know what they say. The truth will set you free._**

**_" Well, first off you almost never stop smiling and you seem like you're looking for any excuse to laugh. No one's ever that happy! Unless they're drunk or on drugs." Zack couldn't help it. He smiled again at J. Ignoring this he continued on with his findings. " Second, one minute you're normal, then the next you're strutting around looking like a deranged mime carrying around a sword the size of a small tree-and for the record I still don't know if you were serious about hacking those bastards to pieces or not." _**

**_" Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't." J looked up at his face and visibly tensed at the look if insane glee on Zack's face. Then Zack dropped the facade and shook his head. " C'mon, man. I might a little crazy,"_**

**_" A little?" J mumbled. _**

**_" but I'm not evil." Zack finished. J studied Zack briefly before letting that particular subject drop._**

**_" And third, you carry around a crow which is just weird to begin with because they're not the kind of bird that normal people consider pets. They're nasty buggers who love to peck, have that weird annoying call and have an age old vendetta against farmers." J breathed in a deep breath before letting it out again, then looked at Zack's hand. " You feel human. You sound human. But you sure don't act human." He nodded calmly, going over what J had said to him. He still didn't quite know the answer to his existence either, but for now he would settle with what he knew and live with that._**

_**" I am what I am. There's not much else to it J." A small hum of grudging acceptance on J's part was all that he got in return. After that they went on in silence, both museing over the mystery that was the one they walked beside. As the saying goes: Time flies, and apparently it had gone a great deal. During their talk they had traversed a great distance and now they were walking through the streets of a town Zack didn't know. He frowned a little as he searched though his memories. **' No, i've never been here before**.**'** He concluded. Sensing his restlessness Ashe flew lower to them and noticeably faster, prompting Zack to run. Without a word he grabbed J's wrist in to a firm but gentle hold and pulled him along as Ashe led them through the streets.**_

**_" What are you doing!?" J snapped. _**

**_" Ashe wants us to go somewhere-and I don't trust you enough to leave you alone!" J said something else to him ( Probably something very rude judging the shocked gasp he heard from an old woman they ran by.) but Zack was barely paying attention to that, intent on following the crow ahead of them. When they finally caught up with Ashe Zack skidded to a stop while J stumbled from the abrupt loss of speed. He would have fallen over completely had he not been holding Zack's hand. He glowered up at the strange man as Zack slowly led him to a strange kind of structure built from what looked like scraps of metal and pipes._**

**_" You dragged me all the way over here to look at that dumb monument?" Zack turned his head to look down questioningly at J._**

**_" You know this place?" J rolled his eyes._**

**_" Well duh. It's the Midgar monument. It's made of pieces from the city." J sighed heavily and stared at the monument blankly. " It's supposed to be for all of the people who died in midgar during Meteor." Zack nodded in understanding. Still, the annoyed tone J was displaying had him wondering._**

**_" You sound like you don't like it."_**

_**" I don't. What about the hundreds of people who died because of meteror in other parts in the world, or the ones who died from war or other bad things. Do** they **get a monument?** **No. Tch, just what makes us here in Edge so friggi'n special? It makes us look like we're the only ones who sacrificed something, and they're giving us a pat on the back that everyone can see."** ' Edge**.** I get it now: The city is built at Midgar's " Edge**.**" Creative**.**'_

**_" Who?" J eyed him with a look one would give an annoying retarded person._**

_**" Those Shinra creeps who built the damn thing. Snobby, rich bastards."** 'Can't argue with the boy there**.**'** He turned back to the structure and studied it with a curious eye before an annoyed groan brought him from his musings as J tugged impatiently on his hand. " Hey! Zack...! Are we gonna go or what?" Zack shook his head to clear it and smiled down at him.**_

_**" Yeah, sorry about that, J. Which one of these buildings do you live in?" Without another word J began to walk at a fast pace while holding on to Zack's hand. He led Zack down another street then through a suspiciously dark alley. **' I don't like this**...**'** Above him Ashe trilled low in his throat, the sound as untrusting as Zack felt. " Uh...J? Are you sure this is the way?" J scoffed at him and turned his head just enough for Zack to see the smirk on his lips.**_

**_" Yeah. Why? Is the awsomely unique Zack scared?" He taunted. Zack smirked right back at him and increased his pace so that he was walking beside him again._**

_**" No." Suddenly J was ripped from his hand as a figure lunged from the shadows and grabbed J by the collar of his shirt and pulled him closer. It was a man, stubble covering his face and a knitted black cap covered his hair. His clothes were rumpled and dirty, sugguesting that he either had just run from a fight or was a steet bum playing the role of the tough mugger. ( Which was probably why he ran in the first place-because of messing with the wrong people, if it was both. **' No**...**if that were true then why would he be dumb enough to do it again?' **) The man held J close to his body with one arm while he used the other to point a shiny black gun at Zack's head. J's eyes widened in fear and he began trying to pull the man's arm from his body.**_

**_" Okay, here's how this is gonna work." The mystery man's voice was rough and slightly slurred. Had he been drinking? " You hand over all the money you got, and i'll let the kid go." He couldn't believe this man! Threatening a defenseless kid for cash?! Zack's hands balled in to fists and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Ashe swooped in and flew directly in front of the man's face and he cried out in fear and turned his head away. But when the mugger looked back at Zack he stumbled back and the hand that held the gun began shaking. In his arm J also stared in surprise._**

**_Zack had become the crow again. His face was pale, his eyes bruised black. The black that stained his lips stretched in to a smile and his nails had darkened to the same color. " Let the boy go." He growled, his expression dead and his eyes fierce. When the man refused to respond Zack slowly began walking forward._**

**_" S-Stop! Stop or i-i'll shoot!" Zack kept walking. His hand shaking severely the mugger fired his gun twice both bullets hitting Zack in the chest, and he doubled over in pain. Beside the man J cried out in fear and struggled harder to free himself from his captor's grasp. What happened next left both frozen. A chilling chuckle emmittred from Zack's hunched form and he stood perfectly straight. In his chest two wide bullet holes displayed themselves proudly, blood leakin generously from each one. But then......the blood began retracting in to the skin, the holes in the skin sealed themselves together and Zack's body was whole and unharmed once again._**

**_Now the mugger was really shaking. J simply stood where he was, not bothering to hide his shock and fear. " I...I just shot you two times!!" He cried, his voice high and quavering with fright. Zack smirked at the man and tilted his head._**

_**" So? Go for three." He sugguested. Throwing J from his side the man began firing his gun like crazy. Zack began swaying and bending his upper body, working his arms in strange wind mill motions to help him keep his balance. This strange evasive manuever worked well to his advantage: All of the fired bullets missed him completely and all too soon the firing stopped and the gun clicked. It was empty.** 'That's my cue**.**'** Zack charged forward with the speed of a ghost and grabbed the mugger's hand which held the gun. With one swift motion he snapped his wrist and the man howled in pain as he let the gun clatter to the ground.**_

**_Then Zack let him go and watched with triumph as the man ran around him and out in to the streets, cradling his injured hand close to him. He hadn't even bothered picking up his gun. Zack walked over to where the weapon lay, picked it up, then trew it away in a nearby trash bin. Still feeling the crow inside Zack closed his eyes and took slow even breaths. Within seconds he felt the crow mask receed as he came back to himself. He turned aroun to where J had been standing in awe ( Or was it fear? Both?) the entire time the fight had taken place. He smiled at the boy and jokingly ran his hand over his forehead, wiping away sweat that wasn't even there." Whew! Well, that was close."_**

**_"......"_**

**_" J?"_**

**_".........WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" He jumped as J shouted at him. Then he chuckled weakly and shrugged._**

**_" It's nothing." The suspicion returned to J's eyes and he hesitantly stepped away from the alley wall he had pressed himslef against._**

_**" Another** " Talent"** is it?" Zack nodded once and clapped his hands together.**_

_**" Yeah. Let's go with that." When J continued to stare him down with mistrust Zack began to feel guilty. He didn't know what it might look like to someone else: Seeing someone transform before your eyes, get shot and live to brag about it when those rights should have never been on the table to begin with. **' Damn**.** I must have really freaked the poor kid out of his mind**.**'** He slowly walked forward and then knelt down to J's level. " Hey...I'm sorry...about all that. But I won't hurt you, J." He smiled and reached up and ruffled the boy's dark spikes. " I mean c'mon. We're on our way to being the best buds ever. Right?"**_

**_" I guess so." Was his hesitant answer. Zack was instantly relieved when the tension evaporated and that haughty look returned to J's face. " But even so, I ain't afraid of you. And I watch my back-so don't try anything funny!"_**

**_" What? Like this?" Zack crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue, arching it until it touched the tip of his nose. J's lips twitched for a moment as if he wanted to smile. Still it didn't come. He just sighed and began walking away._**

**_" Freak." He grumbled under his breath. That tell-tale laugh of Zack's informed J that he had heard his words. Zack got up from the ground and calmly continued following J, his hands resting in the pockets of his coat and Ashe flying overhead once again. Before he knew it they had reached the door to what looked like a bar. Zack let his eyes travel upward and his vision merged with the crow's again. Together they examined the white stone angel guarding the building and they read out the name of the establishment. ' Seventh Heaven.' " Well, this is it." Zack blinked at his words and his vision went back to normal. He arched a brow at J skeptically._**

**_J matched his look dead on. " What?"_**

**_"...You live in a bar?"_**

**_" Yeah."_**

_**" No, I think you're just trying to score a drink." J glared at Zack ( **' He's really good at that.'**) and pointed to the shiny glass door.**_

_**" I do too live here! Watch!" J boldly grabbed the handle and jerked the door open. Smirking to himself Zack followed him inside. But when he touched the handle, another vision flooded his mind. **The dying roar of a motorcycle reached his ears and he watched as the sleek black machine pulled up to a stop just outside of the bar**. **A feeling of dread pooled in his gut as the rider rid himself of his black helmet, shaking the riddiculously spiky blonde locks loose**. **He'd know that look anywhere**.** Zack watched with mixed feelings as Cloud Strife grasped the handlebars of his bike and pushed it in to the almost hidden garage just beside the bar between the crevices of another alley**. **Blinking twice to get used to the sun on his reecently sheltered eyes Cloud walked forwards and slowly pulled the door open, his once vibrant blue irises now dull and vacant**. Suddenly he was back in the street, J's arm brushing against his own as he strutted in to the building.**_

**_" Cloud? You're here?" He had whispered these words to himself while Ashe watched from his newest perch: The angel's shoulder. " Buddy, what's wrong?" He whispered, then mentally shook himself before hesitantly waking in to the bar with J. _**_**For a bar the place was very well kept. The sturdy wood floor shined with gloss. The tables that littered the bar or lined the walls were all wiped down with not a single stain or scratch on any of them. Pictures of various places or people decorated the left wall, and a handsomely antique juke box rested in the right corner. Behind the bar was an impressive collection of wine and booze. Standing at the far end of the bar was a young woman. **_

**_Her light brown hair fell just past her shoulders, the sides pinned up with black berets. She was currently washing a used glass, her blue jacket rolled up to her elbows. She was holding the glass and rag a little farther from herself, probably trying to avoid splashing water on her white shirt. The moment they walked in she raised her head and her chocolate brown eyes narrowed. J casually strolled up to the bar and clambered up on to a barstool so he chould rest his arms on the shiny surface. " 'Sup Marlene?"_**

**_" 'Sup?! That's all you got? Do you have any idea how late it is?!" She set the glass and rag down then stormed through the small waist-high door separating the bar from the rest of the room. " You said you would be home an HOUR AGO!" Both J and Zack flinched at her ' Take no nonsense' tone. " I didn't know whether I should go after you or trust you to do the right thing for once-"_**

**_" So you decide to drown your sorrows in suds instead?" Asked J cheekily._**

**_" You...!" J groaned and turned his head to face Zack wearily._**

**_" Here comes the full name." He muttered just loud enough for Zack to hear. And she did indeed say it._**

**_" JASON ISAIAH STRIFE DON'T YOU TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME!"_**

**_" Screw you!"_**

**_" HEY!" Both occupants turned around to stare at Zack, his hands held up in a guesture of surrender. " Look, Miss...Marlene was it? I'm sorry I got him home so late. We would have come sooner, but we bumped in to a nasty bum on the way home." Marlene's eyes widened and she rushed over to J's side and began examining every visible surface of his body._**

**_" Oh my god! Are you okay? Did he hurt you? What did he take?! How-" J batted her hands away and jumped off the stool._**

**_" Just cool it, alright? I'm okay." He jerked his thumb behind him where Zack was standing. " The big guy helped me out." Marlene's gaze flickered to Zack for the briefest monent ( His friendly wave barely seen.) before coming to rest on J again. She sighed and brushed away her hair from her shoulder._**

**_" Okay, I get it. I just worry about you sometimes." Her voice was softer, more caring now. J grunted in aknowledgement and crossed his arms. " Besises, your dad would kill me if anything ever happened to you on my watch." Another grunt was all they got. Putting on a grateful smile Marlene turned to face Zack again. " Thank you so much for your help. I really owe you alot." She offered her hand to shake, which Zack took politely._**

**_" Nah, it's alright. He was no trouble at all. Really." The overwhelming feeling to run away was growing with each second and he quickly let go of Marlene's hand. The groaning of the boards over their heads nearly made Zack go in to a panic as the sounds moved from directly over them to the stairs at the end of the bar. J sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck nervously._**

**_" Great, now it's Dad's turn to yell." The footsteps turned in to thumps as Cloud Strife himself came down the stairs, his black boots echoing loudly through the walls. He was clad in black pants held up by a brown belt. His upper body was well hidden by a dark blue turtle neck sweater that was partially unzipped so that his throat would not feel constricted. A black leather vest fastened together with silver belts down the front completeted his look and he narrowed his eyes at the sight of J, whom was glaring at the floor of the bar guiltily._**

**_" Jason. You're late." _**

**_" I know it." J had spoken quietly, his eyes still focused on the floor. Not wanting the two of them to fight ( Again.) Marlene stepped up to J's side and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder._**

**_" It wasn't entirely his fault, Cloud. A dirty mugger blocked his way, but this nice young man helped to bring him home." Cloud scanned the room over with his eyes before his brows knitted together in a confused frown._**

**_" What man?" Marlene pointed to a barstool behinf her._**

**_" This-" Her sentence was cut very short and J chanced a glance upward and followed Marlene's line of vision. Zack was no where to be seen. It was just the three of them. J stared around the bar disbeliveingly. When had he left? He had not heard Zack leave, and he hadn't seen him. Wasn't he standing behind him just a minute ago? " I don't understand. He was just here." Marlene shrugged apologetically at Cloud. " I guess he had to go."_**

**_" What was his name?"_**

**_" He didn't say. Jason?" Said boy briefly debated on whether or not he should tell them. But wait. What did he care? It wasn't like he was ever going to really see that man again..._**

**_" Zack. He told me his name was Zack." One could swear time stopped for just one minute, the look on Cloud's face an uneasy one._**

* * *

**_And that's all for this chapter! So how did it go? As usual there is a challenge in this chapter. The clue is during the mugger fight. Which Crow was used and where? Please R&R!_**


End file.
